Crossed Blades
by Kontontoshiteiru
Summary: Himeko is the leader of a Kendo club, but so is Chikane. What happens when these two destined lovers clash on the battlefield? Chikane X Himeko. AU.
1. Crossed Blades

Alrighty then!!! It's been too long since I've put a story up, huh? I'm sorry for changing names on you guys, but…things happen, and that old name (Soi-chan) meant some bad things. Aaaanyway!!! This is, obviously, a Kannazuki no Miko fic. I hope you've read/watched it, but…if you haven't…you don't really have to have read/watched it to enjoy this fic, I think. Well, here goes!

Note: All names are in traditional order. (Surname then given name.)

Disclaimer: I do not own Kannazuki no Miko.

* * *

"Himeko! Wake up! You'll be late for school!" yelled Himeko's father, banging on the door. He never entered his daughter's room in the morning anymore. Not since the last time he had and discovered his daughter sleeping in the lingerie her mother had bought her before she passed away.

"Okay…I'm getting up," Kurusugawa Himeko groaned, slowly pulling herself out of bed. She hated getting up at six o'clock. She was always the kind of girl to sleep in until noon. Himeko started to get dressed, wearing more lingerie her mother had gotten her – it was all she had now. She was too embarrassed to buy it herself, and her father wouldn't, claiming, "That kind of store is no place for a man!" Today she chose a simple, modest white set. The she went into her closet and pulled out her school uniform.

The uniform consisted of a white blouse with purple trim around the collar, sleeve ends, and bottom of the garment. The blouse also had two crests, one over each breast. The right crest was the school's crest; a shining sun with a crescent moon inside. The left one, which was much smaller simply had a shinai and a kendo mask because Himeko was the only girl on her school's kendo team. The rest of the uniform was a purple skirt that stopped about six inches above her knees; thigh-high lavender socks which accented her long legs, and black, semi-formal shoes. She completed the outfit with a red bow in her long golden hair. It was another memento from her mother, and it brought out her bright purple eyes.

After she was done getting ready, Himeko went downstairs and greeted her dad with a kiss on the cheek. "Hi, Daddy!" she said enthusiastically. Himeko was always excited to go to school because she had the best friend ever. Her name was Saotome Makoto, Mako-chan to Himeko. Even though they'd known each other all their lives, and Makoto never used "-chan" with Himeko's name, Himeko just couldn't bring herself to drop the honorific. She was too polite. She did have other friends, people she talked to, but she wasn't very open with any of them, except the club, because she was so shy. Makoto had actually forced Himeko to try out for the kendo club; a decision she'd never regretted and had thanked Makoto for multiple times. The club met three times a week to practice, and she was sometimes gone all weekend at competitions. Today was Friday, a club day, and there was a tournament this weekend as well.

"Bye, Daddy. I have to go! I'll see you on Sunday!" Himeko called as she rushed out the door with a piece of toast in her mouth. She always walked to school…well, most of the time it was running because she always overslept.

When the school was in sight, Himeko put on an extra burst of speed. She ran as fast as she could, burst through the double doors, and tripped over a waiting Makoto just in time to hear the bell ring. "I made it!" Himeko yelled, raising her arms in triumph.

"Hey! Off!" Makoto yelled from underneath Himeko. Himeko had landed on top of her when they'd collided.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mako-chan! Hey, we have to get going! I'll see you at lunch, okay?" Himeko yelled over her shoulder as she got up and ran to her first class. Mako got up and went to class, shaking her head, trying her hardest not to laugh.

It was a perfectly normal day, except for the fact that Himeko was bouncing off the walls the whole time. She always got excited when a kendo tournament was coming up. She'd never lost a match, and we her school's pride. Mako also often came to the tournaments to watch Himeko, so they always sat together on the bus. Makoto also came along to keep the guys off of Himeko. Himeko was exceptionally beautiful, so all the guys wanted to date her. Himeko was too shy to defend herself, and hadn't shown any interest in boys yet, even though she was seventeen. Because of this, Makoto had her suspicions, but she didn't really care. She loved Himeko like a sister and would support her no matter what decision she made.

The bus ride was uneventful except for Makoto knocking a guy out. He had used a bump in the road to "accidentally" fall over and "accidentally" grab one of Himeko's breasts. It had taken a split second for Makoto's fist to be in the pervert's face. After that, the guys were afraid of Makoto, playfully calling her "The Bodyguard." After this little incident, the ride was simply Himeko and Makoto talking about bands they liked until they got to the tournament center.

As she got off the bus, shinai in hand, Himeko took a deep breath and then released a big sigh. "I love this place!" she said happily and grabbed Makoto by the hand as she started walking toward the main entrance. She was halfway there when a big hand clapped her on the shoulder. Her automatic reaction was to turn around and swing the shinai. Just before it connected, Himeko realized who she was swinging at: her teacher, Miyazaki-sensei. "Oh!" she yelled and dropped the shinai, going to check on her teacher's head while Makoto caught the practice weapon. "I'm so sorry!" Himeko yelled as she ran back to the chartered bus to grab the first aid kit.

"I'm sorry about that, but you know how she can be sometimes," said Makoto, holding the blocking side of the shinai in the crook of her neck like she'd seen Himeko do so many times before.

"Don't worry about it. It's a good reaction for a club member. Ow! Not so hard, Kurusugawa-san!" yelped Miyazaki as Himeko put a miniature heating pad on her teacher's bald head.

"I'm sorry," Himeko said again, putting the first aid kit back together.

"It's fine, Himeko. Just go gather everyone and bring them to the lockers, okay? Bring the first aid kit with you. It might be useful."

Himeko did as her teacher said and gathered the rest of the club, which was eight other boys. Himeko was on good terms with all of them, especially Ogami Soma. Makoto regarded Soma as the only guy in the club who really loved Himeko and didn't just want to get in her pants. Himeko seemed oblivious, though. "Come on, Soma-kun! Let's go, everybody!" Himeko yelled and everyone fell in line. She led them inside then parted from them to head for the girl's locker room.

"Hey, Himeko, can you explain the rules of Kendo to me again? I'm still confused. And why don't you go with the "Kendo for Dummies" version this time?" Makoto added after remembering the hour long explanation Himeko had given her last time.

Himeko stood in her bra and panties and thought about how to simplify her explanation. "Um…well, it basically works off points. The two kendoka fight in a square that's about thirty feet on each side. We start in a crouching position and stand up when the referee says," Himeko explained, getting into her hakama and making sure she had all her gear. "When you strike your opponent, you must yell the part you are striking as you make contact or it won't count. Men for head, tsuki for neck – that's armored, of course – do for the sides of the torso, chest rarely counts, and kote for the wrists and forearms. Also, there are a lot of fouls which I don't have time to explain because I have to get out there!" Himeko said in this last sentence in a hurry as she grabbed her mask and shinai and dashed out the locker room door.

Himeko ran to her team and lined up in the leader's position, next to Miyazaki-sensei. As Himeko surveyed the opposing team, she had to do a double take. 'There's a girl on their team, too?' she thought with some enthusiasm. Her thoughts were interrupted by the announcer.

"Welcome to the All Japan Team Finals! Today we have the biggest rivalry fighting for dominion. In the purple hakama and white ribbon is Lunar High with their captain Kurusugawa Himeko!" At this Himeko raised her shinai and half the crowd cheered. "In the red hakama and red ribbon, Solar High with their captain Himemiya Chikane!" This time, the girl named Chikane raised her shinai and the other half of the crowd cheered. "What're the chances that the only two schools with female leaders would be in the finals? Let's see how this goes, shall we? I'll hand it over to the head referee now to get this thing started!"

"This is a standard team match!" called the head referee so all could hear. "Matches will be fought to two points or a five minute limit. The team with the most overall wins shall be victorious! As this is the Final, captains will fight last. Each team had nine combatants. Five wins are needed for victory. First match! Ogami from Lunar versus Kurusaki from Solar! Begin!"

The match started in the normal fashion, both men bowing and crouching. Then, at the signal, they lunged for each other. Soma was the first to take a hit, fooled by a high feint, then taking a hit in the side. Himeko wanted badly to yell encouragement, but Soma would have gotten a fouled for it.

Soma scored the next hit, simply moving too fast for his opponent. He dodged a strike to the head, ducked to the side and brought his shinai down on Kurusaki's forearms, scoring one point. Himeko had an internal celebration at this. 'Yay! Go Soma-kun!' she thought. Next was the deciding point. Soma went for a neck attack, but was parried. He barely got his shinai up to block the counter, but he lost his footing and stumbled back. Kurusaki pressed the attack, but Soma managed to block all his swings until the last one. Kurusaki swing and hit Soma's tsuba, knocking his shinai away. Defenseless, Soma couldn't block the thrust at his neck.

"Tsuki!!!" yelled Kurusaki as his shinai made contact.

"There is victory and defeat!" yelled the head referee, and all three referees raised their red flags, indicating a point for the red team. Soma had lost his match.

Both kendoka returned to the middle, bowed, and walked back to their teams. Soma looked very disappointed when he sat back down. "Don't worry about it!" said Risei, the second best kendoka on their team, as he clapped Soma on the back.

"It's okay, Soma-kun! We'll teach them a lesson for you!" said Himeko. She ruffled his hair and went back to her seat before the next match started. She decided to study her opponent from afar. You could tell a lot about people just by the way they carried themselves, interacted with others, and their facial expressions. Himeko had become an expert at this in recent years.

Himeko could tell that Chikane's right arm was stronger, but she favored her left side when walking. This probably meant Chikane was a well balanced fighter. 'I have to be careful…' Himeko thought. 'If I make one mistake, she'll punish it ruthlessly…' Himeko was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed the net two matches. Risei had won his match, and another boy had lost his. It was now 2 – 1 in favor of Solar High.

Next up was a boy Himeko seldom talked to. He won spectacularly, beating his opponent in only thirty seconds. His spirits were high until he realized his foe had been a last minute replacement.

The matches after were a blur in Himeko's memory. She was so intent on studying her opponent that she started a little when Risei touched her shoulder. "Hey, Himeko! You're up!" he said.

Himeko looked at the score board. 4 – 4. Her match would be the tie breaker. She stood and grabbed her shinai, then marched past her team. They all smiled at her and gave her the thumps up, encouraging her. Her study of Chikane had led Himeko to one conclusion: she wasn't sure she could win. In fact, she was pretty sure she would lose. Nevertheless, Himeko donned her mask and took her starting position.

* * *

A/N: So, whadya think? This is the first Kannazuki fic I've written, so I'm not sure how it'll turn out. I hope you'll like it, though. So, that's the end of chapter one! I love ending on cliff hangers! Not a lot to say here, except that I'm sorry it's taken me so long to put out a new story. Muse-chan has been a bitch lately…the worst case of writer's block you could ever imagine. I'm not sure how long this one will be, but I'm hoping at least as long as Pink and Purple. So, that's it until next time! Read and Review, please!

Also, I have a poll up about the fight between Chikane and Himeko. I'd greatly appreciate it if you could go vote in that, as it will affect the story. Thanks!


	2. Opening Up

Himeko parried a blow from Chikane she had hardly seen coming. 'She's fast!' thought Himeko, now counter attacking. Her counter was a feint to the right, then quickly snapping her shinai to the left. Chikane saw the bluff, however, and blocked just in time to avoid being hit in the ribs.

Chikane then attacked over and over, and Himeko couldn't block them all. She dodged out of the way of a couple, but one caught her wrist as she tried to do so again. "Kote!" cried Chikane as contact was made and the referees all raised red flags to indicate a point. The women went back to their crouching positions.

'She's so strong and fast!' thought an amazed Himeko. I don't know if I'm going to be able to get one hit in!' But she would not lost without giving Chikane seven different kinds of hell beforehand. With the referee's signal, Himeko launched herself at Chikane and caught her slightly off guard. Himeko swung at Chikane's head, but the other girl blocked, causing a deadlock.

The two kendoka pushed against each other's blades, but Himeko finally prevailed. With a burst of strength, Himeko slammed Chikane's blade aside and followed with a strike at the ribs, which connected "Do!" Himeko yelled triumphantly as she saw the white flags go up.

The score was 1–1. The next point would decide the match and the winner of the tournament.

Himeko went back to her crouching position and cleared her mind of all but Chikane: the way she walked, the was she ran, her hair, her curves, her bust—Himeko shook her head—the way she countered, swung the shinai… 'Yeah, that stuff…' she told herself, trying not to think of the first half of that train of thought. She failed. Himeko was suddenly and inexplicably caught up in how beautiful Chikane was. She'd never been so distracted during a kendo match before, so being so preoccupied out of the blue like this worried her a bit. Nevertheless, she would try her best.

At the referee's final start signal, Chikane and Himeko flew at each other, Chikane gaining a slight upper hand.

Himeko stumbled back slightly, but was able to regain her footing, block, and counter attack. In the heat of battle, the blonde woman's prior thoughts were lost and replaced with one thing: how to win.

Himeko tried many different tactics against Chikane. She tried swinging harder, but was just thrown off balance and nearly struck. She tried swinging fast and light, but there wasn't enough power in her swings and Chikane parried easily. She also tried not swinging at all, simply moving around quickly and trying to find a blind spot. As far as she could tell, there wasn't one. She was beginning to panic.

Finally, the end of the battle had come. Chikane took an over-head swing which Himeko blocked, but it resulted in another deadlock. The struggle went back and forth for a few moments before Himeko made a grave mistake. She pushed too hard on her shinai, not thinking about the stress it had already taken. The practice sword splintered near the tsuba, and broke in two, sending Himeko sprawling to the floor.

In kendo, being rendered defenseless gives a point to the opponent. Chikane now had two points. She had won the tournament. "There is victory and defeat!" yelled the head referee, raising his red flag.

The people in the building rooting for Solar High School exploded with cheers, but Chikane wasn't celebrating just yet. She was leaning down, offering a hand to help Himeko up. Himeko accepted it and pulled herself up. Then, both women went back to their starting positions, removed their masks, and bowed to each other. Both were smiling brightly, showing there were no hard feelings between them. Himeko, however, was also fighting a blush.

* * *

"Oh…" Himeko moaned as she stared at the splinters of her shinai, which were collected in her lap. Chikane had helped gather them, then had said she'd needed to go or her bus would leaver her. Himeko thanked her and the girls took their leave of each other.

"Don't worry, Himeko-chan! We've all decided to pitch in and get you a new one!" Souma said, indicating the rest of the club, including Makoto.

"Oh no, I couldn't accept that!" Himeko exclaimed, fighting the blood rushing to her face.

"We insist. It's the least we can do," Risei said, putting a hand on Himeko's shoulder to reassure her.

"But I lost…?" Himeko said with a puzzled look on her face.

"So? You sure showed that Chikane chick a hell of a fight!" Himeko nearly toppled over as Risei clapped her on the back.

"Thanks, guys!" Himekogiggled as she gave each member of the club a bear hug and kissed Makoto on the cheek. Some of the boys looked at Makotojealously, and she gave them a look that said 'Ha ha!'

'Come one guys, let's go home," Himeko said and led the was back ot the bus.

* * *

Himeko went home after the tournament and still had to get up the next morning for half a day of school. "Ya know, Himeko, in America they get all of Saturday and Sunday off of school! Isn't that so unfair?" Makoto whined playfully as she and Himeko were walking home to hang out for the day.

"Really? That isn't fair!" said Himeko happily. "Hey, Mako-chan! Do you want to go shopping? We haven't been in a while."

Makoto thought it over for all of half a second. "Sure! Go to your place and get ready. I'll pick you up in half an hour, okay?"

"Okay! See you in a little bit!" Himeko called over her shoulder as she turned down her street and ran to her house.

Half an hour later, Himeko climbed into Makoto's car and they headed out for the mall. Himeko had swapped her uniform for a lightly longer jean skirt, a modest white tank top, and a light jean jacket. Makoto simply had a pair of jeans and a green t-shirt that said 'Have a day,' on the front. As always, Himeko's red bow was present. "Ready to go?"

"Yep!" Himeko responded and rattled her purse, letting Makoto hear the rattling of coins and the rustle of bills. She never really spent the money she got for allowance, so she had a considerable amount of money: 20,000 yen.

"Well, where d'ya wanna go first?"

"Um, I was thinking-" but Himeko was cut off by the growling of her own stomach. "…That…I was a little hungry…" she finished with all her blood rushing to fill up her face.

Makoto was struggling to keep the car straight through her laughter. "Alright! Food it is!" she laughed and pulled into the parking lot closest to the food court.

The girls talked about what they needed to shop for over lunch. Himeko said she wanted some new earrings and maybe a necklace, to which Makoto grimaced. "I hate jewelry," she said playfully, taking a drink of her tea. They both agreed, however, that their under garments were getting a little worn, so they decided to head for the nearest lingerie shop. Himeko was successfully hiding a bit of anxiety at this. Shopping for unmentionables embarrassed her terribly.

To Himeko's relief, however, Makoto insisted Himeko get her jewelry shopping done first. The girls headed to Himeko's favorite shop, which was more of a stand than anything. She loved the little kiosk because the jewelry was beautiful, on par with franchise shops, but had very reasonable prices.

"Oh…what do you think, Mako-chan? These ones," Himeko asked, holding a gold hoop about an inch in diameter up to her right ear. "Or these ones?" she finished, holding a slightly smaller silver hoop up to her left ear.

"Um…oh, I don't know, Himeko. You know I'm no good at this stuff!" Makoto said, annoyed, but gave in when she saw the pitiful look on Himeko's face. "Oh, fine. I like the gold ones."

"Yay! Me too!" Himeko said and turned around to pay the owner of the shop: 2,000 yen. He also decided to get a simple gold chain to go with the earrings for another 2,000 yen. "All right…I guess I'm done. Ready to go to our next stop?"

"Yep! You should put those one, they'd be pretty on you," Makoto said and laughed as Himeko blushed and did so with the mirror on the counter. "Done? Then let's go."

The girls made their way to a lingerie shop, Makoto in the lead. They walked in and Himeko was instantly uncomfortable. She was always embarrassed to buy things like this, she thought it was a little too personal to be doing in public. With Makoto here, however, she was a little more confident.

Himeko parted ways a little; Makoto headed for the stringy, lacy things, while Himeko movedcloser to the more conservative items. "Himeko…come on. You always go to the regular stuff. Live a little! Come look at this stuff with me," Makoto implored, grabbing Himeko's arm and leading her to the more risqué pieces.

"Okay, if you insist," Himeko figured it couldn't hurt to look. Her eye was actually drawn to a few pairs of panties, all with bras of a matching color. The first was a lavender g-string with lace around the edges, but it showed a little bit too much of her rear than she liked. The other two were black; one was like the lavender one, but a little less revealing. The last one really surprised her: it was a thong whose sides were only made up of lace, and it barely covered her front, either. She was surprised when she found herself at the front desk buying all three sets, almost completely depleting her cash reserves.

"I'm proud of you, Himeko! You came out of your shell today. I gotta say though, I'm shocked you got that thong…"

"So am I, to tell the truth. I guess it just caught my eye is all," Himeko said happily as she got into Makoto's car. "I really never thought I'd buy something like this…" she repeated thoughtfully, holding up the black thong to get a better look at it. "I guess trying new things doesn't hurt, right?"

The girls were quiet for most of the ride home, occasionally commenting about a song on the radio, until they got to Himeko's house. Makoto dropped Himeko off, informer her that she had some errands to run the next day, so they wouldn't be able to hang out.

Himeko went inside, took her shoes off, and told her father that she was going to bed early. She said good night and dashed up the stairs, purchases in hand. The trust was, she had an odd desire to try on her new lingerie and giver herself a good long once-over in her mirror. She hadn't tried them on at the shop because she knew her size, and that was entirely too embarrassing.

She took off her jacket and threw it on the bed, then took her socks off and tossed them next to her bed. She then relieved herself of her skirt and top, letting them fall to the floor. She reached around her back and undid her bra, letting her breasts fall slightly with a tiny bounce. She then removed her panties and looked at her naked form in the mirror. Kendo had made her more muscular than most girls, but it in no way took away from her beauty.

She glanced over her entire body, never having thought of herself as beautiful before. Her breasts were large, but not overly so, her stomach was flat, but not caved in. Also, ever since the need had risen, Himeko had shaved her lower regions. She thought hair down there was…gross.

She tried on the black g-string set first, admiring how the bra made her breasts look, how the panties were sexy, but not too revealing. Next was the lavender counter-part. The bra pushed her breasts up, making them look bigger, and Himeko actually liked how the panties showed just enough of her back to be flirty. She hadn't liked that a lot in the shop, but now that she got a look at them on her, she had to admit she liked it quite a bit.

Last game the black thong and its bra. The bra was the right size, but it barely covered her up; she could almost see her nipples. When she slipped on the panties, she felt a fluttering in her stomach. She thought it a little strange, but paid it no mind, convincing herself that it was just anticipation of trying something new. They were a perfect fit, which meant that almost nothing was covered. As she looked at herself in the mirror, Himeko couldn't help but think she was sexy. That night she decided to sleep in the thong and accompanying bra. In the spirit of trying new things, of course.

* * *

The next day, Sunday, was pretty uneventful. Himeko got up and exchanged her thong for the black g-string, put on a pair of tight jeans and a plain t-shirt, and went downstairs to have breakfast.

Her father never cooked, so Himeko always prepared meals. It wasn't that he refused; it was just that the man could cook about as well as he could build a rocket with his bare hands from sticks and stones. He had actually managed to burn a pot of noodles he was boiling. To this day, Himeko still had no idea how. Himeko didn't mind, though, she quite enjoyed cooking.

Himeko prepared a traditional Japanese breakfast – smoked salmon, rolled omelets, and rice – and set it all on the table. "Dad, breakfast is ready!" she called to the living room where we father was undoubtedly watching something about sports.

"Alright, just a second!" he called back, and got up a few seconds later on a commercial. "Wow, this looks good. Thanks, Hime-chan," Kurusugawa Oboro said and sat down. He didn't notice his daughter's blush at being called by his nickname for her. She thought being called a princess when she was 17 was a little much, even for a father. "So," he began, "What did you and Makoto do yesterday.

If it was possible, Himeko's face turned redder at the thought of telling her father the truth, so she didn't tell the whole thing. "Oh, not much just hung out at the mall. I did get some new earrings and a necklace, though," Himeko said, beginning to eat.

"Well, I'm glad you had a good time," Oboro said, eating as well. When they were finished they each did their own dishes and Himeko decided she was in the mood for movies. After watching a couple romantic comedies, she decided she wasn't in the mood for movies anymore. She went in her back yard and rooted around until she found a roughly shinai-sized stick, with which she practiced until her arms hurt.

With nothing else to do, Himeko went to bed early. 'I have a test tomorrow, anyway,' she reasoned as her head hit the pillow. For some reason, a reason she couldn't pin, Himeko had a strange send of foreboding about the coming school day.

* * *

A/N: Alrighty!!! There it is, sorry it took so long! I hope the fight doesn't disappoint you guys, I tried to make it as good as possible. There is a reason for Himeko losing, so don't stone me to death just yet, okay? *ducks* Fights just aren't my strong suit, so I have to work on them. I think this gave me a good opportunity, no? Now, for the reason it took so long: The Blue Screen of Death!!! My computer crashed and I just now got it fixed. The first thing I did when I got it up and running was type this up and publish it!!! Okay, I'm putting a new poll up on my author page, so go and vote please!!! Again, it will impact the direction of the story! Thanks to all of you still reading!!!

-Kon


	3. Update

A/N:Hey everyone!!! Okay, so I know I'm not really supposed to do this, but…I thought I'd give you all an update. I'm in the process of moving right now, so I'm not sure when I'll have a new chapter up. I'm hoping I'll have my internet back within the week, but I can't be sure. I hope you're not too mad at me…just try to bear with me for a little while, okay? I promise I'll have a new chapter up as soon as possible! Again, I know I'm not really supposed to do this, but…you can forgive me, right? Sorry, guys!

-Kon


	4. Beautiful New Student

Himeko awoke groggily the next morning to the incessant buzzing of her alarm clock. She was in no mood to hear it and almost punched it to shut it off. The blonde still had her sense of foreboding. She has no idea if there was a reason for it, and she wasn't really looking forward to finding out.

Himeko got up, dressed, and went down stairs, remembering to skip the squeaky fifth step. She hated that sound almost as much as she hated her alarm clock and she didn't want to awaken her father; he had the day off from work, so he was still asleep. Himeko had a bagel with cream cheese for breakfast because she was running late again. The blonde grabbed her bag, slipped on her shoes and walked out the door.

She arrived at school with a couple of minutes to spare and felt good about that. 'Maybe nothing will go wrong today after all,' Himeko thought as she was walking to home room. The kendoka sat in her sear and prepared to listen to the fifteen minutes of daily announcements. She wasn't really paying attention until she heard the words "new student." Immediately, she raised her head and paid attention as though her life depended on it.

"Today, class, you will be getting a new transfer student. She and her family moved here last weekend because of business. I'll let her introduce herself."

As the door opened, Himeko felt her pulse quicken. She felt the heat rise in her face.

A young woman walked in and began writing her name on the board. Her figure was perfect, and her hair was the deepest blue. "Good morning. My name is Himemiya Chikane and I'll be joining your class today. Please take care of me," Chikane finished with the lowest of bows.

"Thank you, Himemiya-san. I see there's only one available seat. I trust you can find your way there? Good. That's all for announcements, class. The next five minutes are free time."

Himeko was dumbfounded. 'She's here now? This must be what the weird feeling from last night was about!' Himeko thought to herself. Then she made a discovery: the only free sear was the one to her right, and Chikane was now occupying it. 'Well, I can't be rude, I suppose,' even though she wished she could, but it was against her nature. 'Um...Hi, Himemiya-san. Do you...do you remember me?" she asked in the most even tone she could muster. 'Oh...I wish Mako-chan were here right now...she could help me through this.'

"Hmm? Oh, my God!" Chikane exclaimed as she quickly brought her hands to her mouth in an expression of shock. "Kurusugawa-san?"

"Oh, please just call me Himeko," the named blushed, her face beginning to turn red. "So you just transferred in? What are the chances, huh?" Himeko asked with a small laugh. She could hear her heart beat get faster, and her face was quickly heating up even more.

"Yeah, this is pretty crazy. I hope we can be friends, though. Call me Chikane, okay?" the blue haired maiden said with the most serene smile Himeko had ever seen.

Himeko didn't understand it. She was having trouble breathing and her face felt like it was burning. She didn't hear the bell ring and appeared to be staring off into space.

"Himeko-chan? Himeko-chan, the bell rang...Himeko-chan!" Chikane exclaimed as Himeko fell out of her chair. The last thing Himeko saw before she lost consciousness was Chikane's worried features.

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Himeko regained consciousness before she opened her eyes. She listened for a minute and heard three voices. Then, she opened her eyes slowly and sat up.

"You passed out in class. It's only been about thirty minutes, but these girls have been with you the whole time," said the school nurse after noticing Himeko was sitting up. Himeko looked around and discovered she was in the school infirmary. Sitting to her left was Makoto, but Himeko was surprised to see who was at her right: Chikane.

"Chikane-san! Why are you here? Not that I'm not grateful, but..." she added quickly, not wanting to appear rude.

"I carried you here. I couldn't just leave, could I? I wanted to make sure my fellow kendoka was okay," Chikane said, making Himeko blush ever so slightly.

"Oh, well thank you. How long have I been out again?"

"Only about half an hour. You had us worried, though. What happened?" Makoto chimed in, a worried, motherly look on her face.

"I don't know... I felt light headed all of a sudden and then I remember waking up here... I have no idea what caused it," Himeko lied. She had a suspicion that seeing Chikane out of the blue had caused her to faint. "You two don't have to be here anymore. You can go back to class now."

"Oh no, we can-" Chikane started, but was uncharacteristically cut off by Himeko.

"Please, I'll be fine. Besides, Chikane-san, it's your first day. You can't afford to miss it. I'll be fine, okay?" Himeko reassured her escorts. The truth was she was extremely embarrassed about fainting and wanted to think for a little while.

"Okay. Call me if you need me, okay?' Makoto said, getting up and heading out of the door with Chikane.

The nurse came over and looked Himeko over, taking her blood pressure and such. "You're perfectly fine. You can leave when you feel like it, okay?" That said she went about her business.

Himeko stayed for a little bit, trying to pinpoint the cause of her fainting spell. She had felt fine that morning. The strange feeling started as soon as she saw Chikane enter her classroom. She felt worse once they started talking, and fainted not long afterward. She didn't want to think about it being Chikane that had caused it, so she chalked it up to something being wrong with the bagel she ate for breakfast. 'Guess that's that,' she thought. Himeko got up, collected her bag, thanked the nurse, and went to Japanese class.

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After school, Himeko was walking home with Makoto. She hadn't seen Chikane again after she woke up.

"Are you sure you're okay, Himeko? Fainting isn't something people normally do, you know," Makoto asked after a little bit of silence.

"I'm fine! It was just a random thing! I think it was my bagel this morning..." Himeko said with a mock-thoughtful look.

"Okay. You sure it wasn't Chikane?" Makoto asked with a devilish grin.

"Ch-Chikane!? O-of course not! Why...why would it be her?" Himeko stammered, trying to fight the heat in her face.

"Relax! I'm playing!" Makoto was now purring up a valiant fight against the hysteric laughter building in her chest.

"Oh...okay. Well I have to get home. Lots of homework! Bye!" Himeko exclaimed hastily as she turned down her street and ran home.

"Geez...what's her problem?" Makoto muttered. She stood, watching after her for a moment longer, then went on her own way home. She wasn't resisting the laughter anymore.

Himeko strode in the front door and was immediately ambushed by her father. "Himeko! Are you okay? I heard about your fainting spell! What happened!?" Oboro exclaimed in a hurried manner. The worry on his face was overly evident.

"I'm fine, dad. The nurse said it was stress and anxiety. I'm fine, okay?"

"Stress? Anxiety? From what?"

"I don't know what, to tell you the truth. Maybe from the tournament...I just want to rest, okay?" Himeko said, dropping her bag and shoes beside the door.

"Okay... Call me if you need anything, alright? Love you, Hime-chan," Oboro said, watching his daughter go up the stairs.

"Love you too, dad," Himeko said wearily. She opened her door and fell on the bed, still fully clothed.

Himeko's thoughts were consumed with possible explanations for her fainting spell. 'Maybe I was still tired from the tournament? Or maybe training yesterday...?' Himeko let her mind wander, mainly thinking about kendo club earlier that day. She still hadn't gotten a new shinai, so she had to use one from the club. It wasn't the best, but it worked. The school nurse had prohibited her going to the club, but she disobeyed.

'Maybe I should have listened to her...' Himeko thought as she drifted off to sleep. The last thing that filled her mind's eye before her dreams was intriguing. She didn't know why Chikane's face was her last conscious though, or why it both scared her and filled her with comfort, but she let it happen, telling herself she was too tired to fight it.

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Himeko awoke the next morning feeling much better than the day before. She went about her standard routine, said goodbye to her father, and went to school.

'Not again!' Himeko thought to herself as she heard the bell inside the school ring. She ran as fast as she could and barely made it to homeroom in time. She went to her seat and put her head down, breathing hard.

"Good morning, Himeko-chan. Are you feeling better today?" Chikane asked from Himeko's right.

Himeko's eyes snapped open. She'd forgotten Chikane was in her class. "Um...yeah, I feel a little better, thanks," Himeko said uneasily. Her heart was beginning to beat faster. "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine, thanks. Can I ask you a question?"

Himeko's face turned red. "O-okay..."

"Can you tell me where the kendo club meets? I want to try out."

'She's going to join the club?' the blonde one thought to herself. "Uh, yeah, it meets after school in the gym on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. So...we'll meet tomorrow!" Himeko explained, forgetting her anxiety for a moment.

"Okay, thanks!" the girls hear the bell ring. "Oh, there's the bell. I'll see you later, Himeko-chan," Chikane aid and headed for her fist class.

"Himeko took a second or two to calm her heart before she too went to her class.

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A/N: *dies* I am SO SORRY! I had no idea it was going to take me this long to get my internet back! Please don't kill me! *cries* But, seriously, I will never make you wait this long again!

Earlier, I got to thinking. I was thinking how I could make it up to you guys, and I know how! Based on the votes from my last poll, I have written a random smut, involving Chikane and Himeko, of course, and it'll be right after this A/N. Also, it doesn't count as the story smut, so there'll be at least one more! So, here it is: the "Has-nothing-to-do-with-the-story-sorry-for-the-wait-smut!!!"

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There was a rattling noise and a thud as a door was opened and closed. Kurusugawa Himeko walked in the door of her one bedroom flat, coming home from a particularly arduous day at work. She worked as a waitress for a local restaurant, and a tour bus from America had come in today. If it weren't for the fact that she'd made a killing in tips, she might be a little irritated.

The blonde was also running late, so she'd had to call her fiancé, Himemiya Chikane, so she didn't worry about her. Chikane was a worry wart and a little over protective, but Himeko loved her all the same. "I'm home!" she called. Himeko slipped her shoes off at the door and dropped her bad next to them. "Hello?" she asked after not receiving Chikane's customary greeting.

For the first time, Himeko noticed it was dark; another oddity. She did, however, notice a very faint light coming from her and Chikane's bedroom. The waitress moved forward with trepidation, not sure what she'd find. She crept up to her slightly ajar doorway, pushed it open, and peeked her head around the corner. As soon as she did, she failed to stifle a squeak of surprise.

The lights were out, but there were candles on the dressers and entertainment center, casting a faint light around the room. On the floor and on the furniture were rose petals, which scented the air faintly. Himeko didn't mind, she loved roses. On the bed, however, was what really caused the squeak to escape from Himeko's lips.

Chikane was laying on her side atop black satin sheets. She was wearing only lingerie that Himeko had never seen: blood red, very revealing bra and panties, and thigh high mesh stockings. Her hair was positioned in such a way that it covered one eye. She got up and moved over to Himeko with slow, deliberate movements. Himeko was so enthralled by her presence that Chikane seemed to glide over the rose petals.

Without saying a word, Chikane took Himeko's hands in hers and gently lead her to the bed, where they both sat down. Chikane kissed Himeko softly, and the blonde's face ignited, turning a bright shade of red. Chikane pulled back and gazed into her lover's eyes. She stated simply, "I love you, Himeko."

"I love you too, Chikane, but...what's the occasion?" Himeko asked, indicating the candles, rose petals, and most of all the new lingerie.

"One year ago today I asked you to marry me. I wanted to celebrate."

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I forgot! It was a long day at work and-" but Himeko was cut off by Chikane's finger against her lips.

"Shh, it's okay. Just relax," with that, Chikane laid Himeko down on the bed and straddled her. She bent over and kissed Himeko again, gently again, but with more pressure. She reached down and began unbuttoning the blouse of Himeko's waitress uniform. As soon as it was undone, Chikane lifted Himeko slightly and slid her arms out of her top.

Himeko pressed her lips harder against Chikane's and deepened the kiss, allowing her tongue out of her mouth to explore the other's. The blonde, now free of her top, reached her hands up to rub her lover's back and explore her body. She felt Chikane's hands move lower and unbutton the side buttons on her skirt, then Chikane slid it down Himeko's legs and discarded it at the foot of the bed.

Chikane broke the kiss and kissed Himeko on the cheek, then the jaw, then she began kissing and lightly nibbling on the blonde's neck, eliciting sharp intakes of air from Himeko.

The azure haired maiden abruptly stopped, leaving Himeko slightly disappointed. She lost that feeling, however, when she saw Chikane reach behind herself and unclasp her bra, throwing it to the ground. Himeko's hands automatically moved to the now exposed breasts, kneading, massaging them and feeling the nipples harden.

Suddenly Himeko was overcome by lust, and she sat up, kissed Chikane fiercely, then rolled them both over so that she was not the one on top. She noted the look of blissful surprise on Chikane's face as she undid her own bra and leaned in for another kiss. The kiss deepened immediately until the two women's tongues were dancing. Their breasts rubbed together during this dance, hardening both of their nipples.

Chikane broke the kiss without warning and gazed into her fiancé's eyes. "I want more," she whispered into Himeko's ear, and laid back down just in time to see the mischievous glimmer in Himeko's eyes. She knew what would happen next, so she closed her eyes and prepared herself for the pleasure to come.

Himeko began a long line of kisses down from Chikane's mouth, over her erect nipples, and ending at her panty line. She removed Chikane's stockings, then moved onto the panties. Himeko, feeling uncharacteristically lustful, took the hem of her lover's panties in her teeth and pulled them down her legs, leaving Chikane completely nude. Not wanting to be rude, she then reached down and removed her own.

Now that they were both naked, Himeko wanted to try something new, though she wouldn't tell Chikane until she did it. Gently she turned Chikane on her side, who complied without question, and Himeko spread Chikane's legs so that one was pointing straight up. Then Himeko spread her own legs and inched closer to Chikane until their lips met in a kiss more passionate than any they'd shared thus far.

Chikane gasped and opened her eyes, then smiled as she saw what Himeko had done. The blued haired woman took the initiative and began moving her hips, grinding herself into Himeko. Immediately Himeko threw back her head and closed her eyes, letting a cascade of gold shower down her back. She released a high pitched, pleasure filled moan, then began moving her hips in time with Chikane's, increasing both their pleasure.

Moans and pants filled the rose scented air as Chikane and Himeko pleasured each other. They were kneading their own breasts, eyes closed and faces red. Himeko felt a head build between her legs, and moments later she climaxed. Her juices flowed one Chikane's vagina, and the sensation caused her to have her own orgasm. Pleasured screams were let loose as both women climaxed, and Himeko, who had been holding herself up, collapsed upon the bed, breathing heavily. After a few seconds she lifted herself and laid down next to Chikane.

Himeko took Chikane's face in her hands and kissed her ever so lightly. Chikane wrapped the other in her arms and held her tightly. "I love you, Himeko. I love you with all my heart and all my soul."

"I love you too, Chikane. More than you could know," was the response, followed by another kiss.

Chikane shifted and laid on her back, and Himeko laid her head on her lover's chest. There they would sleep in bliss, embraced by the one they loved so dearly.

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A/N(again): Well, hope you liked it! Again, sorry about the delay! Won't happen again!


	5. Tryouts

Himeko went home that day by herself; Makoto had an appointment and had stayed home afterward. Being alone left her to her thoughts. 'She wants to join the club? Well, this will be a chance to get over whatever it is I feel around her. This will be fun! And I won't be the only girl in the club anymore!' the blonde mused, her spirits increasing significantly as she thought.

"I'm home, Dad!" Himeko called as she walked through the door. She pulled her shoes off and set her bag next to them. Then she danced into the kitchen where, her father was sitting, with a very happy grin on her face.

Why so happy, Hime-chan?" Oboro asked as his daughter walked into the room.

"Oh, not much. There'll be a new girl in kendo club soon, so I won't feel so alone."

"Oh, really? Who is it?"

"Remember the girl who beat me in the tournament? She transferred the other day and now she wants to join the club. I hope the guys aren't too mad at her…"

"I'm sure it'll be fine. It's good to see you so happy after the last couple of day," Oboro commented, flipping the page of the newspaper he was reading. He chuckled as he read a particularly funny headline.

"Yeah, that was a fluke. Don't worry, okay?" she blonde said, kissing her father on the check. "I'm going to practice in the back yard, okay?"

"With what? I thought your shinai broke…?" Oboro peered over the top of his paper, a quizzical look on his face.

"Oh, right… Well I found a stick from the peach tree that should be about the right size. It's better than nothing. I'll be back in a little bit."

"Alright. No rush!" her father called as his daughter sipped out the back door. He had to admit her tenacity was impressive.

Himeko practiced for about an hour and a half. During this time she went through all the kata, and also practiced some custom moved that had earned her the position of captain on her kendo team.

After practicing, Himeko went back inside to do her homework and cook dinner. She decided on simply making smoked salmon and rice. That way she could cook and do her homework at the same time.

"Smells good. What's cooking?" Himeko's father asked as he walked into the kitchen. He took a seat at the kitchen table where Himeko was doing her algebra.

"Nothing special. Just salmon and rice. Oh… I don't understand this…" Himeko cried as she thudded her head against the table.

"Let me see. Hmm…yep. You have to factor out the x's and the y's before you can do anything else. See?" As he was explaining, he completely missed the incredulous look on his daughter's face.

"Dad! I didn't know you knew this stuff!" Himeko jibed, the disbelieving look still plastered all over her face.

"Hey, just because I'm a lawyer doesn't mean I don't know algebra. Now let me see if I can remember how to do the rest of this…"

Himeko finished dinner while her father helped her finish her homework. They had to eat and work as well because Himeko didn't have a head for math. "Thanks, Daddy!" she cheered and hugged Oboro before helping him with the dinner dishes. "Well, that took forever… I think I'm going to go to bed early tonight. I should get some sleep because I've got kendo tomorrow. Good night, Dad," Himeko said and bounded up the stairs.

Himeko stripped down to her underwear and flopped down on her bed. She pulled the blankets over herself and quickly drifted off to a peaceful sleep, thoughts of kendo club and Chikane running through her head.

Himeko woke up late the next day as usual. She dressed in a hurry and rushed out the door with a piece of toast hanging out of her mouth. She made it to homeroom on time, but just barely. "Late again, I see," Chikane chuckled, only meaning to tease Himeko.

"Yeah…I really should get an alarm clock…" Himeko said, breathing hard because of her run. She looked to her right to see Chikane stifling a laugh.

They listened to their home room teach prattle on about the announcements nobody cared about until the bell rang. "There's the bell. I'll see you after school, Chikane-chan!" Himeko called as she walked out the class room door toward her first class. She still couldn't quite shake the feeling she felt every time she interacted with Chikane.

Himeko's best class that day was algebra. She had all her homework completed, correctly, for once, so it put her in a very good mood for the rest of the day. She walked into the locker room after school to find Chikane already there, halfway through changing into her kendo uniform. She had taken her school uniform off, but hadn't gotten around to putting anything else on when Himeko walked in.

"Ch-Chikane-chan! I-I almost forgot you'd be here!" Himeko stammered, trying, unsuccessfully, to avert her eyes from Chikane's near nudeness. She set her bag down and began peeling her own clothing off.

"Hello, Himeko-chan. Can I ask you a question?" Chikane asked. She bent over to get her kendo uniform out of her bag. She hadn't had a chance to deposit it in a locker yet. Again, Himeko couldn't keep her eyes off the spectacle of Chikane's breasts. She was able to look away before Chikane straightened back up, and had to turn away slightly to hide her blush.

"Of course! What do you need to know?" Himeko was struggling to keep her voice even. 'I shouldn't be staring at another girl's chest!" she chastised herself. She still wasn't able to look directly at Chikane because her face was still on fire.

"What am I going to have to do for the tryout? I know it's different for every school. You don't have to answer if it's some secret or something," Chikane laughed as she was stepping into her hakama. She pulled them up to her waist and tied the cord so they wouldn't fall down.

"Oh, it's not a secret or anything. All you have to do is have an interview and then have a match with me. Then we all talk and decide if we want you to join. I wouldn't worry, though. I have absolutely no doubt you'll get in." Himeko was able to banish her blush and forget her anxiety when she was talking about kendo. She turned to talk to Chikane and was able to keep her violet eyes on Chikane's blue ones.

"Okay. Can I ask one more question…?" Chikane asked, a little timidly. Himeko was surprised that the seemingly infinitely confident Chikane Himemiya would ask so shy.

"Go ahead."

"Would…would it be okay if we were friends? I know you may not be happy with me for beating you, but…this is a new school, and I haven't really met anyone yet. So, I thought since we're the only female kendoka in the school, that… I'm sorry if I'm being presumptuous…" Chikane's face was pink and she was looking at her feet as if her life depended on it.

"Chikane-chan…I'm not mad at you! Being beaten is a part of the sport. I would be honored to count you as a friend, Chikane-chan. Now come on, the guys will be waiting for us by now." Himeko said with as much confidence as she could muster. She didn't want Chikane thinking she was lying because she had stuttered or anything. Himeko started walking out of the locker room.

"Right. Himeko-chan?" When Himeko turned back around to face Chikane, then her face ignited again when Chikane through her arms around her. "Thank you." Chikane said, then she let Himeko go and walked out of the locker room. Himeko had to take another few moments to still her heart before she too walked into the gym.

Himeko walked out of the locker room and went to the east wall. Because hers had broken, she had to use one of the school's shinai. They were a little unbalanced, and weren't in the best of shape, but they would work.

"PUT THAT DOWN!" roared a voice that Himeko had to take a second to recognize. It was Risei, the second seat on the kendo team. Himeko dropped the shinai and raised her hands over her head in reaction, then lowered them when she realized she was facing the entire team. Risei walked up to Himeko and went down on one knee, presenting a long object in a silk bag. The bag was dark purple and decorated with cherry blossoms, Himeko's favorite flower. "Remember when we said we'd all pitch in and get you a new shinai? Well, here it is. Use it well, captain."

Himeko was amused at Risei's level of formality, but that was just how he acted. She bowed and took the shinai in both her hands, deciding to show him the same level of formality. "Thank you everybody…this means so much to me," Himeko said, fighting back tears.

"We all pitched in for the best captain ever. Even Himemiya-san helped out. She bought the bag. She came to us a couple days ago and asked what your favorite flower is. We didn't know why she wanted to know until she came back yesterday with that. I guess she overheard us that day at the tournament." Soma said, a grin on his face stretching from ear to ear.

"Chikane-chan! You didn't have to do that! None of you did," Himeko said, clutching the shinai, still in the bag, close to her chest.

"I felt like I should at least help, since I was the one who broke your old one… They had already bought the shinai, so I thought I would buy the bag. Think of it as an apology for breaking your shinai," Chikane said, another faint blush playing across her features.

"Come here, everybody. You stay there for a second, Chikane-chan," Himeko said, then huddled with her team. Chikane became more and more nervous as the whispering continued. By the time they were done, she was clutching her hands behind her back and swaying back and forth. She nearly fell over as Himeko all but tackled her and returned the hug from earlier in the locker room.

"Thank you so much, Chikane-chan. We all talked and we've come to a decision. We want you in the club. You've already had a match with me, so that's already out of the way. And, as far as I'm concerned, selflessly chipping in to buy me this beautiful bag counts as your interview. In fact…I think you should take my position as captain. You beat me at the tournament, so I think you should have the position. So, what do you say? Would you like to join us?"

"Of course I'd like to join, but I can't take your position, Himeko-chan…I'm the newcomer, I don't deserve it. Please, just –" Chikane began, but was cut off by Risei and Soma both shouting "Co-captains!" at the same time.

"That's a great idea!" Himeko said. She grabbed Chikane's hand and thrust it into the air along with hers. "From now on, Chikane and I are the co-captains of the Lunar High Kendo Club!" Once again, Himeko hugged Chikane, who wrapped her arms around Himeko and returned the embrace.

Chikane broke the embrace and bowed low before the club, including Himeko. "Thank you all very much. I'll not let you down. I promise." As soon as she stood up, Chikane was scared half to death by a deep, gruff voice.

"That enough merry making! Time to get to practice!"

"That's Miyazaki-sensei. He's stern, but you'll come to like him," Himeko whispered and helped Chikane up. Chikane grinned and stood in line with Himeko, ready for a day of practice she desperately needed.

A/N: Okay...stone me to death if you want, I deserve it...I know I said I'd never make you wait that long again, and here I am, quite a while later, making you wait again. I'm sorry everyone, I really am. My muse was just...dead. I couldn't think of ANYTHING to write for the longest time. I finally had my friend Justin mentally kick my ass so I could get going. *laughs* So, I'm sorry everyone. I know this is a little short, but I hope it'll at least appease you for now. I'll be working triple-time on this story, as well as the other stories I have in the works. Again, I'm sorry. The next chapter will have a "nothing-to-do-with-the-story-smut" again to make up for it. *laughs again* Hope you like it!


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